Andjelka

We volunteered this year to serve as a host family for an international student attending Wartburg college.  This involves getting together occasionally for meals or fun things or whatever you want to make of it.  We were assigned a bubbly freshman from Bosnia-Herzegovina named Andjelka Zoranovic, but she often goes by "Angie".  Although she lives in B-H, she is ethnically Serbian.  Serbian is her first language, but her English is beautiful because she started learning it in Kindergarten.  She is studying chemical engineering and hopes to go on to graduate school in the U.S.  Angie is so excited about hanging out with the kids.  She has some cousins of the same age that she played with all the time at home.

We first met at the beginning of September and had her over for dinner.  Tonight was a big international student/host family potluck on campus to introduce the new students.  I was excited because I haven't been to a large potluck in years.  I have fond memories of church potlucks growing up.  I even got to use a picnic basket (thanks, Heather!). :o)  However, I was a bit disappointed.  The food selection left much to be desired as it seemed to be mostly pan after pan of greasy scalloped potatoes (I happened to bring cheesy potatoes and it was on a different serving line).  Half the desserts were some form of apple crisp or pie (I brought apple cake).  I guess next time I'll have to be a bit more creative!  Lincoln did pretty well, but after a not so patient wait for our table to be dismissed to the food line and Emily announcing that her tummy was very angry because it was so hungry, she ended up eating nothing but potato chips, a cookie, and a purple frosted brownie.  Neither of them had any sit at all during the new student introductions.

But we made it, and we're excited to get to know Andjelka better.  As someone who studied abroad in college, I know how much it would have meant to have a host family.  I'm hoping for some fun-filled years to come!